How much BAB is a feat worth?

[Notmousse]

The poll's for a NPC version of the Fighter. Same abilities for the most part with the exception of bonus feats and a couple other possible tweaks.

Each progression except for more than 1 has been mapped out and would give level 20 BABs of 25, 30, 35, and 40 respectively. Leaning towards the first two, but I figured I'd see what EN World has to say about it.

 

[Slaved]

I would likely put it at 1:1 roughly but it would be part of a feat chain.

I would be even more likely to make it a conditional feat. Having a feat which granted up to +X base attack bonus limited to something like your hit dice total is entirely possible. Or even a feat which makes all of your levels in classes or hit dice which gave poor base attack bonus give medium instead. Or maybe even your base attack bonus goes up while using a specific exotic weapon.

I doubt I would just make a feat that its sole benefit was +1 base attack bonus though. As such I did not pick a choice yet.

Having a guy with full base attack bonus already go higher than what he had would be tough though.

An npc sect of fighters who all weild a specific exotic weapon with which they can do incredible feats with after years of special training though, that I like.

 

[Stalker0]

For many wizard builds, I'd give all of BAB for a feat!!

 

[Quartz]

Can I suggest allowing an Inherent Bonus to BAB instead?

I'd allow +1 to hit and +1 to damage for a single feat, but that wouldn't affect BAB. The power of a feat affecting BAB is that it affects iterative attacks.

But given the wealth of interesting feats out there, and the levels normally played, I'm of the opinion that simply gaining +1 BAB isn't actually that good a move. Why choose +1 BAB when you can have Improved Sunder, for instance? A GM might need to tweak the entry requirements of some prestige classes, but then he should be vetting them beforehand anyway. Lastly, taking this feat should not allow a character's BAB to exceed his level.

 

[Pyrex]

Bah! 0.33 is still 4 feats for the first BAB and introducing non-decimal fractions makes me want to poke people in the eye.

Besides, I put in subwizard, wizard, cleric, fighter, and superfighter progressions, that should be enough!

Just because there's no way to get the bar above the 3 doesn't mean that isn't what I meant.

1 BAB for 3 Feats seems like a reasonable starting place to me.

 

[Pyrex]

But given the wealth of interesting feats out there, and the levels normally played, I'm of the opinion that simply gaining +1 BAB isn't actually that good a move. Why choose +1 BAB when you can have Improved Sunder, for instance? ... Lastly, taking this feat should not allow a character's BAB to exceed his level.

That's pretty much why I placed it at 1BAB/3Feats, I didn't want Ftrs easily investing feats getting additional iterative attacks that much faster.

What if we re-write the concept a bit and make it more like Practiced Spellcaster?

Something like:

Practiced Combatant (yeah, I know, the name is lame)
Your BAB increases by +2. This can't increase your BAB beyond your HD. Blah, blah, blah ... later gain additional HD you may apply the rest of the bonus ... blah, blah, blah.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times

Note: I specifically chose +2BAB here to mirror the 4-level 'catch-up' granted by Practiced Spellcaster. A Sor4/Ftr4 taking both Practiced Spellcaster and Practiced Combatant would end up with Caster Level 8 (but only spells-per-day of Sor4) and BAB 8 (but without the two extra FTR bonus feats)

Mechanically speaking, it's 6x stronger than the 1BAB/3Feat I proposed above, but I've generally felt that 'catch-up' feats should be stronger than 'get further ahead' feats. (ex: Spell Focus vs Iron Will)

 

[Arkhandus]

Can I suggest allowing an Inherent Bonus to BAB instead?

I'd allow +1 to hit and +1 to damage for a single feat, but that wouldn't affect BAB. The power of a feat affecting BAB is that it affects iterative attacks.

Also, I'd note that BAB affects qualification for feats, prestige classes, and such.

Additionally: I forgot to mention, the ELH has an epic feat that grants +1 to Epic attack bonus (which counts like BAB, except it doesn't count toward gaining iterative attacks, IIRC), and is available multiple times. Considering how much more powerful most epic feats are, compared to general feats, I'd say that's a decent rules-based sign that +1 BAB for a feat is too much, pre-epic.

 

[Quartz]

Also, I'd note that BAB affects qualification for feats, prestige classes, and such.

I think I mentioned prestige classes. I think I also suggested limiting it to the character's level.

Additionally: I forgot to mention, the ELH has an epic feat that grants +1 to Epic attack bonus (which counts like BAB, except it doesn't count toward gaining iterative attacks, IIRC), and is available multiple times. Considering how much more powerful most epic feats are, compared to general feats, I'd say that's a decent rules-based sign that +1 BAB for a feat is too much, pre-epic.

I disagree, for three reasons:

Firstly, combat improvement is slowed down at epic levels. Everyone has poor combat improvement.

Secondly, at epic levels, you've already taken a whole raft of feats whereas at low levels you've yet to take them.

Thirdly, it seems to me that the epic feat is very much a filler feat. It's just not that powerful compared with many of the other epic feats, but can help you qualify for them faster

 

[Slaved]

Additionally: I forgot to mention, the ELH has an epic feat that grants +1 to Epic attack bonus (which counts like BAB, except it doesn't count toward gaining iterative attacks, IIRC), and is available multiple times. Considering how much more powerful most epic feats are, compared to general feats, I'd say that's a decent rules-based sign that +1 BAB for a feat is too much, pre-epic.

Improved toughness gives more hit points than epic toughness once you hit level 31. Improved toughness was potentially available since level 1 as well

Just saying that simply being epic does not actually make it epic in power.

It is too bad that regular weapon focus is not just a little bit stronger.............


I type too slowly!!

 

[Arkhandus]

.....Improved Toughness was printed in a 3.5 supplement, Complete Warrior IIRC, well after the Epic Level Handbook had been put into print. Also, in my opinion and that of some other people, Improved Toughness is too potent for a single feat. It copies the main benefit from 2 points of extra Constitution. The main benefit of an Amulet of Health +2, comparatively speaking. And: The ELH slows down attack bonus improvement simply to avoid things getting too out-of-hand, and to keep the disparity in accuracy between full, 3/4, and 1/2 BAB classes from growing far too wide.